Neighbor News
Student wins inaugural NCAA scholarship grant
A student at Salem State University has become one of the first recipients of the 2016 NCAA Ethnic/Minority student grant.
Contact: Kyle Lallatin
(978) 542-7500/ (978) 542-7519
K_lallatin@salemstate.edu
Salem State University Student Receives Ticket to 2016 NCAA Convention
SALEM, Mass.November 9, 2015) —Mike Chen, a junior hockey player at Salem State University has received the NCAA Division III Ethnic Minority Grant to attend the athletic association’s annual convention in San Antonio, Texas this January. Chen was nominated for the award by Peggy Carl, Salem State’s director of athletics and recreation, and James Stoll, the university’s associate vice president and dean of students.
“I learned of the opportunity through an email from the NCAA office in Indianapolis,” Carl said’ “Jim Stoll immediately mentioned Mike as a possible candidate.”
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This is the inaugural year of the grant, as the NCAA is trying to attract more diversity in the sports management field, according to a press announcement.Chen will be joined by Carl and Jason Doviak, associate director of athletics and recreation.
When asked his reaction, Chen, an SMS major concentrating in Sports Management, answered “I was thrilled and in disbelief for a moment. Only a handful of student athletes get selected for this grant, and to even be nominated by SSU was an honor.” His goals at the conference are “to make connections not only with the administrative staff out there, but the student athletes as well. I want to get a better understanding of how the NCAA operates”. Chen is an experienced athlete, as he has been playing hockey for 19 years. A native of Maryland, he chose to attend Salem State University because “[he] had heard many good things about the school academically as well as their hockey program. Coach O’Neill has over 500 wins and knows how to succeed at this level.”
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“While in San Antonio, he will participate in programming specific to student-athletes and will have the opportunity to attend the legislative voting session which concludes the convention” said Carl. The Division III NCAA conference is a three-day event from January 14 to 16. Division III is the largest division of the NCAA, as it contains the largest number of schools and student athletes.
